Members of Inclusion Scotland are travelling to Geneva today (Monday) to update the United Nations on the progress of disability rights and the effects of the UK Government’s austerity measures.

The group, consisting of representatives from a number of UK groups including Dr Rosalind Tyler-Greig from Inclusion Scotland and Steve Robertson from People First Scotland, will also highlight to the UNCPRD committee the impact of welfare reform.

The UK Government signed up to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Disabled Persons (UNCRPD) in 2009 and has been accused by the committee of violating the convention. Following an inquiry into the impact of welfare reforms on disabled people’s rights, a damning report published by the UN committee in October last year found that reforms had led to ‘grave and systemic violations’ of disabled people’s rights.

Bill Scott, Inclusion Scotland’s policy director, said: “We are honoured to be representing Scottish disabled people at the United Nations, and feeding into the committee about the devastating impact that UK austerity is having on our communities.

“Of the £27billion in social security cuts under the UK government, over half have fallen on disabled people and their families. UK Government austerity measures have undermined our human rights in the most devastating ways. No longer can we take even the most basic of support for granted.

“In contrast to the UK Government’s apparent dismissal of disabled people’s human rights, the Scottish Government’s recently published delivery plan provides some cause for hope. We applaud the Scottish Government’s efforts with their new devolved powers on benefits and the approach they are taking, in particular with using a model based on dignity, respect and human rights. We would also congratulate them on their latest campaign around benefits take up, to ensure that the 500,000 people in Scotland who are missing out on vital benefits claim them. This is the model that is needed across the whole of the UK.”